1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a discharging unit and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus is connected with a host device and forms an image on a printing medium, with image data supplied from the host device. An image forming apparatus can be a printer that prints image data on a printing medium, a fax machine that transmits image data to a separate reception facsimile, a scanner that scans a document and generates image data, a photocopier that copies image data to a printing medium, and a multi-function peripheral (MFP) that is a combination of the aforementioned devices. Multi-function peripherals have been increasingly used, since such devices often include e-mail transmission and immediate web image printing functionalities, and recent wired and wireless communication technology.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional multi-function peripheral (MFP) 10. As shown therein, the conventional multi-function peripheral 10 includes: an image forming unit 20, which forms an image on printing media; a storage unit 40, which stores the printing media on which the image is formed; and a scanning unit 50, which scans a document.
In the conventional multi-function peripheral 10, a storage plate 43 of the storage unit 40 is inclined at a predetermined angle θ, to be higher than a discharger 41. Such a configuration prevents a first printing medium from being ejected from the storage plate 43, or being scattered due to a second printing medium pushing a rear edge of the first stored printing medium, with its front edge. If the storage plate 43 is lower than the discharger 41, sheets of the printing media are curled and may interact with one another on the storage plate 43. In this case, the printing media is not properly registered in the storage plate 43 and may be ejected to the outside, or scattered.
The conventional multi-function peripheral 10 includes the scanning unit 50, which is provided above the storage unit 40, and thus, a storage space to store the printing medium is limited to a height h1, between the storage plate 43 and the scanning unit 50. If the storage plate 43 is inclined, to prevent the printing media from being ejected and scattered, the size of the storage space is reduced. Particularly, if the overall height of the multi-function peripheral 10 is reduced, the storage space to store the printing media is even further reduced.